Think of two managers you have known—the best and the worst. These managers could be anyone in a formal or informal management position with respect to you, such as a coach, teacher, student club or team leader, a volunteer leader at a church or volunteer group, a boss at work, or a family member. List below the specific qualities and behaviors of each manager that made them the best and worst.

Best manager qualities and behaviors: 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Worst manager qualities and behaviors: 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now describe the impact of each manager’s behavior on your motivation and performance. How did the manager make you feel, and how did the manager affect the performance of yourself and others in your situation? Were you and others motivated or de-motivated, performing at a minimum or maximum?

My feelings and performance resulting from best manager:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

My feelings and performance resulting from worst manager:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your answers to the above questions are data points. What principles of effective management can you infer from the answers? Are differences in the best manager–worst manager behavior and impact related to differences among the classical perspective, human resources perspective, behavioral sciences approach, management science perspective, or the learning organization?

Divide into small groups of three to fi ve members. 

Each person in turn will share your answers with the group. Listen carefully. What are the common qualities, behaviors, and outcomes associated with best manager and worst manager across group members?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Based on the analysis, what are three practices the group recommends that managers use to be effective?

1.

2.

3.